One of the most important concepts of Buddhism is that of Emptiness. Often misunderstood, the term is at the heart of Buddhist teaching. In these lectures, we explore how to interpret the information found in the famous Perfection of Wisdom literature. At the same time, it is important to understand that the doctrine can be seen through the lens of modern approaches to science, cognition, and philosophical discourse.Lecturer: Professor Emeritus Dr. Lewis R LancasterFull Schedule here

Note: Excerpts from the above lecture schedule are available for Lectures 1-4 and 5-8 will be available when original video uploader updates

ICBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This is the first lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu

CBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This is the second lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu

ICBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This the third lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness.This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu.

ICBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This the fourth lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu.

ICBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This the fifth lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu.

ICBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This the sixth lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu.

The realization of Emptyness is the wisdom that dissolves the ignorance which is the cause of the paticcasamuppada."Ignorance" means the believe in a real independent self of the person and a self of all the other phenomenons. It means to take the world for real and solid is ignorance.

The realization of Emptyness is the wisdom that dissolves the ignorance which is the cause of the paticcasamuppada."Ignorance" means the believe in a real independent self of the person and a self of all the other phenomenons. It means to take the world for real and solid is ignorance.

Didn't Nagarjuna say that emptiness was about abolishing all conceptions? I have been reflecting on this a lot. I can see where maybe wisdom comes in. A high being like Nagarjuna can distinguish conceptions from non-conceptual true reality. Anyway thanks.

The realization of Emptyness is the wisdom that dissolves the ignorance which is the cause of the paticcasamuppada."Ignorance" means the believe in a real independent self of the person and a self of all the other phenomenons. It means to take the world for real and solid is ignorance.

Didn't Nagarjuna say that emptiness was about abolishing all conceptions? I have been reflecting on this a lot. I can see where maybe wisdom comes in. A high being like Nagarjuna can distinguish conceptions from non-conceptual true reality. Anyway thanks.

You're right. I am also just chewing on this.It is very difficult for me, but the more i think about Nagarjunas saying, it seems to be a genuine lecture. It is like a handrail so we don't get lost in wrong conceptions - or in any conceptions.And it makes clear: emptyness cannot be realized on a discussion-board but on the meditation-seat.

Ayu wrote:You're right. I am also just chewing on this.It is very difficult for me, but the more i think about Nagarjunas saying, it seems to be a genuine lecture. It is like a handrail so we don't get lost in wrong conceptions - or in any conceptions.And it makes clear: emptyness cannot be realized on a discussion-board but on the meditation-seat.

Better statements maybe in two years.

Right now I am planting flowers. That's my meditation opportunity. There are some cool things Nagarjuna said and then some head-scratchers. Emptiness is a hard subject! I am starting sense that Nagarjuna is saying that our conditioned world is an illusion. It's not real at all even though I want to believe my flowers are real.

CBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This the seventh lecture out of eight that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu.

Last edited by plwk on Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

ICBS Summer 2013 Lecture Series: "Emptiness in the Perfection of Wisdom Texts". This the eighth and final lecture that discusses the often misunderstood Buddhist concept of Emptiness. This concept is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, and Dr. Lancaster attempts to enlighten all of us on the concept of Emptiness. This presentation is a 15-minute snapshot out of a one-hour presentation. University of the West will convert the 8 lectures into one of its many Buddhist Certification Classes. For more information, please contact extendedstudies@uwest.edu.

emptiness is what support life, all beings and phenomena ... without it everything would be once for all reified and no energy would ever circulate.

Sönam

By understanding everything you perceive from the perspective of the view, you are freed from the constraints of philosophical beliefs.By understanding that any and all mental activity is meditation, you are freed from arbitrary divisions between formal sessions and postmeditation activity.- Longchen Rabjam -

Emptiness is a very hard subject to learn. There are a lot of false starts, a lot of false break throughs. Understanding emptiness is one of those subjects you have to keep studying and investigating because it's easy to think you've understood when you don't.

I read 2 things that were really useful for me in testing my views about emptiness.

1. What is the object empty of exactly?

2. If your views of emptiness and dependent arising are not the same then it is not correct view.

Emptiness is a really humbling thing to try to understand also, I can't tell you how many times I thought I understood only later to find that my previous views were unrefined and off the mark. Even with the half baked views though I can tell the promises about it's usefulness in ending suffering are not exaggerated.

oushi wrote:I watched the last one, and I have no idea what does it have to do with Emptiness in the perfection of Wisdom.

The real head-scrather is the Diamond Sutra, which is in the Perfection of Wisdom genre, doesn't contain the word emptiness.

Why is this ahead scratcher? Even the earlier Prajnaparamita texts, such as the so-called Astasahasrika, don't necessarily have emptiness as their focal point. This centrality of emptiness is something that comes into place in the later literature, and the commentarial -- esp. Madhyamaka -- traditions.